Wave two testimonials

“We are delighted that our local bid made it through a rigorous selection process and we look forward to making our plans a reality for people in West Cheshire. This funding will allow people more choice and freedom in how they access GP services. It will also offer alternatives to seeing the GP through collaboration with other providers, including the voluntary sector. This will allow, for example, direct access to physiotherapy and support to improve wellbeing and mental health. Crucially by expanding what we offer in GP practices people will be able to access the care they need in a more timely fashion within their own community.”

Project: Together for the health of Halton (Cheshire)

Dr Cliff Richards, Local GP and Chair of NHS Halton CCG said:

“We are delighted with the news and the fact that our work around the new general practice strategy has been recognised and will benefit greatly from the Prime Ministers Challenge fund.

“This is an exciting programme of work which will make a real difference to the health and wellbeing of local people. There has already been extensive engagement in the development of the strategy, and over the coming months we will be engaging further with local people, practice staff and other key stakeholders on the co-production of the new model of care. In essence this will mean that GP practices will work together in a much more integrated way with Community, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Social Care, Voluntary Sector, Urgent Care and Pharmacy services, wrapped around local delivery points. The views of local people are really important and whilst we will be actively going out to seek people’s views, I would also like to encourage people to take the time to work with us in developing the new model of care. Since Halton CCG came into being we have taken great strides in trying to improve people’s health and wellbeing. We have also made investments to change the face of Urgent Care. This is the next big step and why we are so happy to have secured this additional funding.

Project: Further Improving Access to GP Services Over 7 Days in Wigan

Wendy Fairhurst, Nurse Partner/Advanced Nurse Practitioner, said:

“This is a wonderful prospect for the people of Wigan Borough. Having extended access to GP services , particularly for people who find them difficult to access during normal working hours will help people to get medical advice when they need it, take care of themselves better and avoid having to go to the hospital.”

“We are delighted to be selected as a wave 2 pilot of the Prime Ministers Challenge Fund. This opportunity will enhance and expedite the work that has already started within the locality embracing new technology, innovative ways of working and provide access to services 7 days a week. The pilot has the full support of the practices, CCG and the local council.”

“We are delighted to have been awarded this money as it will enable us to significantly improve patient access to GP services, particularly at evenings and weekends at a number of locations across the city. There will also be additional support from a range of ‘wrap around services’ such as district nursing, therapists, pharmacists and urgent social care so that we can support people to be looked after in their own homes.”

“This is great news for patients in Sheffield and a fantastic opportunity for Sheffield GPs to lead the way in using an integrated approach to enable patients to get the right care, at the right time and in the right place, as well as helping to ease the burden on our A&E departments.

“The CCG is committed to improving the way patients access care in their local communities and the bid aligns with our aims to bring care closer to home and to transform urgent care so as to reduce unnecessary attendance at A&E. We will work closely together with the GP Provider Board and our other health partners to develop this new way of working.”

“I am genuinely excited by the developments proposed within our challenge fund application. We have already implemented a significant scheme increasing access to general practice in Leeds West and through the challenge fund we will be able to improve access in a much broader sense. Our aim is to put patients in control of accessing health care differently. I am very excited about working with colleagues to utilise technology to improve care for our population.”

Project: My Healthcare (South Birmingham)

South Doc Services Federation:

“We are delighted to be awarded this opportunity to innovate healthcare across the primary and community care setting. The model we have proposed has been developed over a number of years using feedback from patients, healthcare workers and our own staff. We are excited that we can now deliver care that will be joined up between many healthcare providers giving patients easier access and better co-ordinated care. Our focus remains on faster access to services for patients and the Prime Minister’s Challenge Fund has provided us with a big boost to deliver this goal.”

Dr Andrew Coward, Chair of Birmingham South Central CCG, said:

“I am thrilled at the news of this extra investment in primary care in south and central Birmingham. It will enable us to offer much improved access for our patients in a more seamless and integrated fashion. Better and more flexible GP access is what our patients have repeatedly asked for and with this I am confident we will be able to deliver higher patient satisfaction along with improved health outcomes.

Project: Community Primary Care HUB clinics (Basildon and Brentwood)

Dr N Ahmad, Lead Clinician, said:

We are absolutely overwhelmed to have this opportunity to provide our patients with more choice, convenience and flexibility in accessing much needed improved access to local healthcare services. Patients will now book GP appointments at evenings and weekends, 8 to 8 Monday-Friday, and 8 to 8 at weekends and bank holidays. Thus, ensuring better outcomes and patient satisfaction.

“Furthermore, we are also excited and look forward to working with our community colleagues to achieve significant benefits for the patients of South West Essex.”

Project: Islington i-HUB

Dr Sunil Limaye, i-HUB practice co-ordinator, said:

“Islington’s i-HUB pilot is designed to help make what we do every day even better, through collaboration, integration, scale, agility and smart use of technology.

“We want patients to be able to say – ‘now I can see my doctor after work or at the weekend … book an appointment or get my prescription online … get a test arranged without having to wait for ages … talk to a GP on the phone when I’m worried about my breathing … go to the Urgent Care Centre and the doctor can see my records … see a local GP when my own surgery is closed … get my medicines if I run out without having to go to hospital … be sure that my GP knows what I’m allergic to’.

“We passionately believe that this pilot is the next logical step towards improving patient access to primary care in our inner city borough.”

“Our patients expect great service every time they walk through the NHS “front door” and, with the demands on doctors increasing each year, we must innovate to keep up. That’s why all 20 of our local general practices are working together, with the help of Surrey Downs CCG and the Prime Minister’s Challenge Fund, to make every health contact count. We will be improving access to our services in the broadest sense by extending our opening over 7 days; upping the quality of our websites, sharing health records so we can provide seamless care in the community, and providing patients with the tools to live a healthy life in their own homes. Locally, we have a large older adult population, some of whom feel let down due to the complexity of the care system. Access to services must be improved and we are pleased to be leading the roll-out of a community medical team to coordinate the care of our most vulnerable patients, working with our key health, social care and voluntary sector partners. We are local GPs and are determined to build our services to last. This funding will help us form a strong, patient-focused network that will continue to benefit our community in years to come.”